Hi!!
It’s August 1 today. I’m writing today with a message of inspiration and also to let you know where I’ll be this week (and why you won’t be hearing from me on Friday. As you’ve probably heard me say before, I don’t automate my emails… which means they are always sent in real time). My family and I are going camping off the West Coast of Canada and our campsite will be tucked in the tree line of this beach.
I’m going to try to disconnect as much as possible and refrain from checking my phone, Facebook, Instagram and email. This is RARE for me. I’m bringing a stack of books that have been on my reading list for months, and pens and notebook. I’m looking forward to lazy afternoons and napping with my daughter, walks on the beaches and sand dunes of the wild WestCoast, quality time with family and campfires.
So while some of you may find this inspiring, my camping trip is not the reason for this email. 😉
I’m writing to encourage you to START NOW.
July and August are often considered months of excess and indulgence – which isn’t really a bad thing if that’s what you’ve been looking forward to.
Where it becomes tricky is when you fall so far off track that you’re feeling pretty crappy.
Poor quality of sleep, lethargy, bloat, bletch feeling, lack of exercise, maybe even a few extra pounds from all of those liquid calories etc. Sound familiar?
You vow you’ll get back on track… in September. September you’ll set new intentions, and stick to them.
But why wait?
Why not pick one thing and try it now? Ease into that change you know you’ll want to make with the change of seasons.
I’ll give you a couple of examples.
One of my clients decided not to wait until September to take a month off of booze – she’s starting today.
Another client decided to beat her personal record of AFDs (Alcohol free days) and set the intention for 21 AFDs for the month of August.
And another client is trying out new kinds of fitness, including belly dance and burlesque, and she’s trying them out this month.
I’ve set my intention for no refined sugar for the whole month and zero alcohol for the first two weeks of August. Now that I have reset my internal clock and am able to wake up much earlier, I’m also sticking with my sunrise meditations and will be adding in daily writing again. Even though I’m heading on vacation, I am really looking forward to feeling clear and creative.
So what’s something you could try this month?
How can you start to set powerful intentions for the final quarter of 2016 – now?
Finally, today is my father’s birthday. He’s 72 and he’s spent the past 31 years sober. I don’t share a lot of about my family out of respect for their privacy – yet today I feel so strongly that I need to recognize a man who inspires me daily with his commitment to “doing the work.”
Whether your path is moderation or abstinence, redefining your relationship to alcohol isn’t always easy. In fact, as one new client just wrote to me, “this is a lot harder than I thought it would be!”
We humans are hardwired to love what’s easy, safe and comfortable. Challenging ourselves to feel deeply, to show up fully, and to live honestly often feels like the exact opposite. Yet, as anyone who has been on this path for awhile will tell you – it is a million times more fulfilling than the alternative.
Please do write to me and let me know your intentions for August. Writing down your intentions helps solidify them and sharing them helps with accountability. I’ll look forward to reading them when I return at the end of this week.
xoxo
